A/N: Masashi Kishimoto owns Naruto. Not me. I only own Shirayuki. I forgot to mention this in the first chapter. This is my latest story. If you read what I have posted already and are waiting for me to update it. I will as soon as I get the inspiration to write the chapter that needs to written. Have some faith in me please? And as always read and review please. Also, Sasuke is going to seem OOC at times. Italics are thoughts. "Italics" is Inner Sakura. Bold is Sound effects. Also I apologize that the Zabuza fight might seem rushed. I want to get more of how Sasuke and Shira act around each other while alone.

Chapter Ten: Figuring Out How to Climb.
"Tree Climbing?" Shira asked, not exactly sure that she heard Kakashi correctly. When Kakashi confirmed that the four of them were going to be tree climbing, Shira shrugged her shoulders.
"What kind of training is that?" Sakura asked as Shira crossed her arms over her chest and rested her weight on her right food, cocking her hips to the left.

"Just listen until the end." Kakashi ordered as he looked at the group. "This isn't normal tree climbing, you will be climbing without using your hands."

"What?" Shira asked as Naruto mentioned how it sounded like fun and Sakura asked how. Sasuke only looked surprised as he looked at them. Kakashi made the ram hand seal before he walked to a tree and proceeded to walk up it. "Wow…" Shira trailed off as she watched her sensei climb up the tree.

"Do you understand now?" Kakashi asked once he was upside down and looking down at his students. "Gather your chakra in the bottom of your feet and climb up a tree. This is something you can do once you use chakra well."

"Wait a minute! How is learning to climb a tree going to make us stronger?!" Sakura demanded that caused Shira to groan and sit down.

Is she really that stupid? Shira asked herself as looked up at Kakashi as he stated for them to listen closely.

"The purpose for this training is first to teach you to control chakra." Kakashi said as he looked at his students and noticed how Shira was sitting down. Shira probably figured that out the moment I demonstrated what they will be working at doing. Kakashi thought as he looked at the three other genin. "To bring out the proper amount of chakra to the proper area. As I had said earlier this is the most important aspect when using jutsu, chakra control." Kakashi stated as he then proceeded to explain how using mastering the control exercise should theoretically help them master any jutsu.

"So, go be my usual self just no hands. How hard can this be?" Shira mused from her spot on the ground. Kakashi sighed as he knew that the brunette of the group would have most likely already figured out a possible way for her to get up the tree and back down so she can sleep.

"Shira, you have to get up a good ways off the ground. No being lazy." Kakashi told her before he proceeded to explain the second reason that the climbing tree training would help them. "That's why from this tree climbing, you must gain the stamina needed for the proper chakra control for jutsus." Kakashi the proceeded to draw four kunais and threw them down to the feet of the four genin. "Use the kunais to mark how high you make it up the tree. Then use that mark as your goal and try to surpass it. You won't be good enough to just walk up the tree at first, even you Shirayuki. So get some momentum and try running up the tree. Got it?"

"This training is nothing me!" Naruto exclaimed as Shira picked up the kunai from the ground. She sighed softly as Naruto continued to boast about how easy the training would be. Soon the four of them made the sign of the ram and focused on their chakra gathering at the soles of their shoes. Once they felt they were ready, the four took off and ran towards the tree. Naruto took one step on the tree and fell down, not even getting off the ground. Sasuke got about half way up his tree before the tree cracked from the amount of chakra he was putting into his feet. Shira climbed about three quarters of the way up before she started coughing and flipped back so she didn't land on her head.

I figured she would have a hard time… Kakshi thought as he watched Shira cough some more before she frowned at the tree. She hides her illness well though. If not for her coughing up blood when we fought against those Chunin, we would have never known that she was sick. Sasuke being the only one who did since the two of them are close.

"Hey, this is easy!" Sakura stated which caused Sasuke, Shira, Kakashi, and Naruto to look up to see her sitting on a branch of her tree. The kunai that Kakashi gave her was stabbed into the tree near her head.

"It looks like the best at controlling chakra right now is Sakura." Kakashi said as Sasuke knelt down next to Shira and gave her some of her medicine to try and control her coughing. Naruto cheered at how Sakura was the best while Sakura just thought on how she wished that Sasuke would be impressed with her.

"She may have figured it out… But see how high she got? While her chakra control is high, she has low chakra levels." Shira pointed out as she stood up and smirked.

"Shira does have a point there. But at the moment, Sakura is the closest one to becoming Hokage unlike a certain someone, and from the looks of it as well the Uchiha clan isn't worth much either, nor is the bright minds of the Nara clan." Kakashi stated trying to rile the other three up.

"Shut up sensei!" Sakura shouted as Shira looked at Sasuke, a frown on her face as she worried that Kakashi's words would affect Sasuke negatively.

"My intelligence has nothing to do with my clan. It has to do with myself and my desire to learn." Shira stated as she glared at Kakashi. "You did cross a line though Kakashi-sensei. Never insult the dead." Shira growled as she tugged on Sasuke's hair gently before going back to the tree she was practicing and started focusing on her chakra again.

I see… I struck a nerve with her when I mentioned the Uchiha clan… She must have been close with many of the members before the massacre. Kakashi thought as he watched as Shira started to just start walking right up the tree and sighed. Why am I not surprised that she's walking right up a tree? She must have figured out what she did wrong right before she fell due to her coughing.

"Yuki, you doing okay?" Sasuke called up to her as he watched his best friend climb up past where Sakura was sitting and then sat down on a branch. She got tired… otherwise she would be higher up…

"I'm good." Shira called down to Sasuke as she stuck her tongue out at him. "See if you can get up here Sas. Or even higher if you think you can." Kakashi had to chuckle lightly at Shirayuki's challenge to Sasuke.

Of course, Naruto and Sasuke have an incomparably greater amount of chakra in them than Shira and Sakura. Kakashi thought as he watched Shira stand back up before she started to walk down the tree she was sitting in. While Shira has that mass on her lung… she along with the boys can be powerful assets, if this training goes well.

"What do you think Naruto?" Shira asked the blonde as she stood next to him, watching as Sasuke started to run towards the tree again.

"That I'm going to pass Sasuke in this. Even you, Shira." Naruto stated as he looked at Shira, causing the brunette to laugh lightly.

"If you can do that, Naruto, then I will buy you a couple meals at Ichiraku's." Shira said as she gave the blonde a smile. Little did the shinobi from Konoha know, Inari was watching them from a distance.